Kate Greenaway used an early version of the rhyme to illustrateA APPLE PIE which was first published in 1886 and it will be noticedthat there is no rhyme for the letter I.

The rhyme of A APPLE PIE is very ancient and reference is made to it asearly as 1671 in one of the writings of John Eachard. In these earlyversions the letters I and J were not differentiated. The letter J as weknow it to-day was the curved initial form of the letter I and was alwaysused before a vowel.